1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus having a device driver installed thereon to use a device such as a MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) that is a copier, a printer or a multifunctional digital image forming apparatus collectively having the copy function, the print function, the scan function and other functions, a device operation setting method, and a computer readable recording medium having a device operation setting program recorded therein to make a computer execute processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
The following description sets forth the inventor's knowledge of related art and problems therein and should not be construed as an admission of knowledge in the prior art.
There exists a commonly used information processing system, in which a plurality of devices such as MFPs like that described above and an information processing apparatus that is a personal computer are interconnected via a network. And a user can make a preferable device perform printing, by transmitting thereto a print job and etc. from the information processing apparatus.
In this information processing system, a device driver to use a device, such as a printer driver, is installed in advance on the information processing apparatus.
A user selects and activates a device driver for the target device, then an operation setting screen (for example, a print setting screen) is opened according to the device driver. And the user performs operation setting via the operation setting screen and gives a job execution instruction, then a created job is transmitted to the target device and executed by the target device.
While performs operation setting via the operation setting screen displayed according to the device driver, the user may feel like changing the target device in the following cases.
For example, in the case where the user in a hurry for printing finds that the target MFP is now busy making so many copies, and in the case where the user receives a notice of the occurrence of a paper jam from the target MFP while performs print setting. Furthermore, also in the case where the user performs operation setting using a Twain driver and comes to the target MFP to set a document on its scanner and make it perform scanning by Twain, however, the user had to set a document on a different MFP's scanner since the target MFP is currently used by another user.
Like in such a case, in order to change the target device while performs operation setting via an operation setting screen displayed according to a device driver for the target device, the user had to close the operation setting screen; select a different driver; opens an operation setting screen according to the different driver; and performs operation setting via the operation setting screen again. This is troublesome for the user.
According to Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-164240, there exists a data processing apparatus that is capable of detecting a mismatch between a print setting of an application and a function set using a printer driver and automatically adjusting the print setting to resolve the mismatch.
According to Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-167714, there exists a user interface display apparatus that is capable of keeping a space large enough for dialog boxes for setting, and allowing users to check in an easy manner, present values set for respective setting items, not requiring them set values for respective setting items via boxes that are switched on the display one by one.
The technology described in Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-164240 can resolve a mismatch between a print setting of an application and a function set using a printer driver for the target device, but cannot resolve the inconvenience that users have to perform operation setting again if they change the target device while performs operation setting via an operation setting screen displayed according to the device driver.
Also, the technology described in Japanese Unexamined Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2003-167714 cannot resolve the inconvenience that users have to perform operation setting again if they change the target device.
The description herein of advantages and disadvantages of various features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed in other publications is in no way intended to limit the present invention. Indeed, certain features of the invention may be capable of overcoming certain disadvantages, while still retaining some or all of the features, embodiments, methods, and apparatus disclosed therein.